In a significant political development ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, renowned wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia formally joined the Congress Party on Friday after meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi.
The entry of these Olympians into the Congress has fueled speculation that one or both may contest in the upcoming state elections. “Whether one of them will contest or both would contest would become clear soon,” sources within the Congress stated. The move is seen as a strategic push by the Congress to bolster its prospects in Haryana, a state with a deep wrestling culture.
Earlier on Friday, Vinesh Phogat also submitted her resignation from her position in the Indian Railways, citing personal reasons. This resignation, coming just days before her formal induction into the party, has added to speculation about her political future.
Both Phogat and Punia had met former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (September 4, 2024), a meeting that the Congress later publicized with a photograph of the trio on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle. Their association with Gandhi has further cemented their alignment with the Congress ahead of the critical polls.
Bajrang Punia, a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, and Vinesh Phogat, who made history as the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final before being disqualified for being slightly overweight in her weigh-in, have both enjoyed iconic status in Indian sports. Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling after the incident.
Their political debut comes after a year of high-profile protests in 2023, where both athletes were vocal in their opposition to then-Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced allegations of sexual harassment. The duo was part of the protest movement that captured national attention.
The Congress, currently engaged in seat-sharing negotiations with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Haryana polls, is looking to capitalize on the duo’s popularity. Hard bargaining continues between the two parties as they seek to finalize an agreement. Haryana’s 90 Assembly seats are set to go to polls on October 5, with vote counting scheduled for October 8.
Phogat and Punia’s entry into active politics adds another layer of intrigue to an already intense electoral contest in Haryana, as the Congress attempts to reclaim the state from the ruling BJP.
